Large Pieris, Anyone tried it?

[johnbaz]

Hi all

A few years ago my son bought a house that had a Pieris in the front garden, Straight in front of the bay window!

They were going to dig it up and take it to the dump but I went and tried to get it out sympathetically saving as much root as poss, The shrub was over 12' tall, I had to half the height to get it in the back of my little Honda Civic to get it home!

It was a bit of a job to get out as there were multiple tap roots so I had to get deep under the tree to be able to cut them!

When I got it out of the ground I wrapped the rootstock in several black bags to keep them from drying then stuck it in a large plastic pot, There was absolutely no foliage on the tree and looked a little worse for wear but it bounced back marvellously with bunches of buds all over!!


The tree/shrub, I lashed it to the clothes drying pole to stop the wind from blowing it over!, My mum in law took a shine to it so it's in her back yard now, I could get it back though and reduce it to a Bonsai size!!

I love the colour of the new foliage, They look like bright red flowers until they harden off and turn green!

Should I go for it?, I've not seen a Pieris Bonsai before ☺


John

 

[just.wing.it]

Love the species.....great colors and bark.
I tried to air layer one at my old place of residence.....failed.
Haven't gone back.

Good luck!

 

[0soyoung]

There's an entire thread on this, "Pieris, worth a try". Growing them as bonsai in Canada, no less.
Personally, I like them as small stuff (i.e., less that 4 inches tall) in small pots.

 

[Driftwood]

Hi all

A few years ago my son bought a house that had a Pieris in the front garden, Straight in front of the bay window!

They were going to dig it up and take it to the dump but I went and tried to get it out sympathetically saving as much root as poss, The shrub was over 12' tall, I had to half the height to get it in the back of my little Honda Civic to get it home!

It was a bit of a job to get out as there were multiple tap roots so I had to get deep under the tree to be able to cut them!

When I got it out of the ground I wrapped the rootstock in several black bags to keep them from drying then stuck it in a large plastic pot, There was absolutely no foliage on the tree and looked a little worse for wear but it bounced back marvellously with bunches of buds all over!!


The tree/shrub, I lashed it to the clothes drying pole to stop the wind from blowing it over!, My mum in law took a shine to it so it's in her back yard now, I could get it back though and reduce it to a Bonsai size!!


I love the colour of the new foliage, They look like bright red flowers until they harden off and turn green!


Should I go for it?, I've not seen a Pieris Bonsai before ☺


John

Hi John, I got the opportunity to buy one for cheap,similar in size and shape (forest flame) but it seems like a very hard job for little chance of surviving the collection.. Me and the tree Could you update and give some tips please? I'm in south UK as well!!
Paolo.

 

[Forsoothe!]

They grow so slow that it should be generational tree, collected by you, continued on by your son and his, then your great-grandson can get it ready for his son to exhibit it.

 

[johnbaz]

Hi John, I got the opportunity to buy one for cheap,similar in size and shape (forest flame) but it seems like a very hard job for little chance of surviving the collection.. Me and the tree Could you update and give some tips please? I'm in south UK as well!!
Paolo.

Hi Driftwood

I decided against it eventually as I have way too many trees as it is, They're all over the place, I ran out of tables/benches years ago so there's loads on the ground

They're even on the garden swing too!!


John

 

[Forsoothe!]

I hope I didn't push you off dead center on this one. They are beautiful and unusual and worth waiting for whatever maturity as a bonsai you can achieve. I almost guarantee you'll never see one bigger.

 

[Driftwood]

I hope I didn't push you off dead center on this one. They are beautiful and unusual and worth waiting for whatever maturity as a bonsai you can achieve. I almost guarantee you'll never see one bigger.

Well I had a little one which fall from its stand killing one of the two trunks, the other never really recover so I still think they are not very strong plants. That plus what you said about been very slow + having kind of big leaves + having to dig it up, etc make decided not to go for it.
Thank you for 'pushed me off' I think it was better in this case.
They are beautiful though!

 

[Driftwood]

Hi Driftwood

I decided against it eventually as I have way too many trees as it is, They're all over the place, I ran out of tables/benches years ago so there's loads on the ground

They're even on the garden swing too!!


John

Sounds good to me! If you trying to get rid off some, plz let me know